Advice on Tracing your Family Tree

[Ryan3932]

Originally Posted by georgekidd

but you keep doing what you think is right

Exactly!

[ScotSites]

ok Ryan, I get it, you don't think my advice is any good. However, instead of just slagging it off (which makes you nothing more than a pathetic troll) how about you offer different advice. After all, I did say in the beginning:

... and anyone that has tried different methods (or even know of other sites) could put forward what has worked for them...

So put your suggestions forward... but remember you need to aim it at everyone, not just a select few who probably don't need advice from anyone!

(As for you georgekidd, butt out! )

Anyway, back to the topic, here's some advice I found from another source:

Start your family tree with the youngest members You just need pen and paper. Sketch out a rough plan of what you know about your family, following the pattern of the Hall family tree at the beginning of this article.

Place your immediate family at the start of your family tree, and work from there, with what you already know before doing any research at all. Start with yourself, your children or your grandchildren - it is usual to start with the youngest members. Then work through your siblings and their children, and then your parents. Thereafter, you will be working backwards through time.

It then sets out the following tasks:

1. The first task that faces every family historian when they begin research into an individual is to collect basic biographical details about the person under investigation. The events that are shared by everyone - birth and death - are the best place to start. In many cases marriage will also be on the list. By compiling a skeleton of facts centred on these events from legal or parish records you can then continue to flesh out other aspects of that individual's history.

2. When starting to create your own family tree, the first thing is to talk to as many family members as possible. This way you can obtain the crucial first-hand accounts, memories and stories that will set you on your way, especially from older generations.

3. Once you have collected as much background information as possible, you are ready to start searching for more concrete evidence. You will be looking at birth, death and marriage certificates, parish records, and wills left by your ancestors - among other things. Most of your research will take place in archives, local studies libraries or specialist family history centres.

4. Once you have registered as a user at your chosen archive or records office, read the relevant information leaflets before you start work. Your first port of call should be the enquiry desk. Summarise what information you want - be it a birth certificate, record of baptism or a will - and who the person is that interests you. This way you will probably receive a much clearer answer than if you fall into the trap of recounting your entire family history.

5. There are many established professional organisations for genealogists of all levels of experience. One of the most important is the Society of Genealogists, which maintains a vast library of research material and publications from around the world. It also runs lectures and provides research advice for beginners.

6. The internet is a major source of information for family historians. Here you'll find advice about how to get started, and sometimes useful pre-researched data. Many genealogists use the net to share their research results.

Although these are just the introductory paragraphs to each section, at no point did I see any need for a computer system to record anything... people can use one if they want, but it doesn't have to be anything too complicated!

Anyway, its a site worth checking out (as would other sites that offer similar advice). And one piece of advice that it offers that is worth repeating yet again is:

Check source of internet data and its validity

Family History Scotland also provide a guide on How to Trace your Family History in Scotland... and funnily enough it also suggests starting off by using pen and paper!

[georgekidd]

scotsite wrote

(As for you georgekidd, butt out! )

Oh how rude

[Polwarth]

Ya wee Stirrer, you.

[georgekidd]

who me

[Polwarth]

Naw, the big boy ahent you that's jist rin awa'.!

[Babz]

I go away for a few days and come back to see the same two posters sniping at each other all over the place

I think I am going to have to put you in a room together to sort out your differences

Instead of having a go at each other whenever you can why don't you try and work alongside each other.


A better comment from Ryan would have been..........although I do not agree with all you have said you do
have some good points in your post, and then added some points of your own !!

Also if comments are going to be quoted please copy the whole comment...

Another thing.....telling someone to 'butt out' is not good !!

I can see all posters in this thread are strong people......their ideas are good but please work together.

I have not had time to read anymore of the threads concerning Family Trees but will do so as soon as I
can, I have a feeling that you are both doing your own threads to score points off of each other....if
this is the case I will consider amalgamating threads and you can either work together or not(as the case may be).

Multiple threads on the same thing is SPAM !!!!

If SS and Ryan have issues I suggest that they take them to mail and failing that ask for admin help
because all this sniping and name calling has to cease !!